Call: The Industrial Doctoral School is funding doctoral resources

22 June 2021

The Industrial Doctoral School for research and innovation opens a call for funding doctoral students in collaborative projects. Researchers at Umeå University who are qualified to act as principal supervisor to a doctoral student may apply for doctoral resources. An external organisation shall be included as co-applicant and is expected to actively participate in the project. The deadline for applications is 17 September.

The Industrial Doctoral School for Research and Innovation, IDS, promotes collaboration between researchers at Umeå University and external organisations through jointly funded doctoral projects in which a doctoral student spends four years working on a common research problem. The term external organisation is intentionally broad and encompasses private, public and non-profit organisations.

Under normal circumstances, IDS and the external organisation will each pay 50% of the doctoral student's salary, including overhead. Non-profit organisations may apply for an additional 25 percent funding from IDS.

Projects shall be of high scientific quality and socially beneficial, as well as strengthening the external organisation. Applications are welcomed from all faculties and subject areas.

Who is eligible to apply?

Researchers at Umeå University who are qualified to act as principal supervisor to a doctoral student may apply for doctoral resources. The head of the department at which the applicant is employed shall certify that the applicant meets the criteria for acting as primary supervisor to a doctoral student. Applicants are only permitted to have one ongoing doctoral project with IDS at the time their application is submitted. A doctoral project is deemed to be completed when the doctoral student graduates.

The applicant is not permitted to have a direct or indirect ownership nor any other involvement in the external organisation that may affect the performance of their role as supervisor. Applicants who are, or have previously been, employed by the external organisation shall give an account of their employment and the manner in which it is expected to affect the doctoral project.

Co-applicant

A representative of the external organisation shall be included as co-applicant and is expected to be involved in the project throughout the project period and to act as a mentor to the doctoral student.

Terms and conditions for doctoral employment

IDS funds 50 percent of the doctoral student's salary (under exceptional circumstances, 75 percent) for 48 months and three months of paid internship at the external external organisation. Salary costs include overheads and salary increases according to the agreed doctoral salary scale. Work placements are voluntary and should be accommodated within the scope of the doctoral student's departmental duties. IDS meets costs associated with joint courses and workshops. The doctoral student will also receive the sum of SEK 25,000, primarily to cover their expenses in connection with work placements. The external organisation shall bear the remaining cost of the doctoral student's salary.

Remuneration will be paid to the department on an ongoing basis against invoices from the department in question to IDS. The department also invoices the external organisation. The doctoral student shall be employed at a department of Umeå University. The doctoral student's department is expected to bear any additional costs associated with the doctoral studentship, such as premises, operating costs and travel expenses.

What should you include in your application?

Applications will be accepted in Swedish or English and should include the information requested in the template. Incomplete applications risk not being processed. An application will not be considered complete without the signature of the head of the department in question.

Assessment

The Industrial Doctoral School's steering committee constitutes the review board for applications. All applications are assessed and prioritised based on their scientific quality, feasibility, societal relevance, relevance to the external organisation, the expertise and autonomy of the applicant and the financial stability of the external organisation.

We give considerable weight to the fact that the applicant does not, or has not had, any commitment to the external organisation that may affect the performance of their role as supervisor.

In order for the Industrial Doctoral School to grant funding for an additional 25 percent of the doctoral student's salary, the steering committee must deem the non-profit organisation does not have the financial means to finance 50 percent of doctoral salary.

In assessing applications of equal merit in terms of quality, gender equality will be taken into consideration. This implies that applications from the underrepresented gender will be given priority if the applications are assessed to have the same overall quality.

When and how should applications be submitted?

Applications shall be submitted electronically to the registrar at Umeå University at registrator@umu.se. The deadline for applications is 17 September 2021. Mark your email and application with ref. no. FS 2.1.6-1165-21. The preliminary date for the next call is March 2022.

Template for application

Questions about the application?

If you have questions about the application, or about IDS in general do not hesitate to contact the director Patrik Rydén.
e-mail: patrik.ryden@umu.se
Phone: 090-786 95 62